Traffic controlling system for railroads



1934- E. B. KEMPSTER, JR

TRAFFIC CONTROLLING SYSTEM FOR RAILROADS Filed June 15, 1932 INVENTOR i. 73. 7

%,;, ATTORNEY Patented Dec. 4, 1934 t i UNETED STATES PATENT OFFIE TRAFFIC CONTROLLING SYSTEM FOR RAILROADS Ernest B. Kempster, .112, Rochester, N. Y., assignor l to General Railway Signal Company, Rochesi ter, N. Y. i

Application June 15, 1932, Serial No. 617,265

20 Claims. (01. 246160) This invention relates to a power-operated distant operators tower OT as shown convenswitoh control s t m, and m re par icul rly to tionally by the dotted line 9. This switch malocking means for preventing operation of a chine SM cannot, however, be operated unless switch machine for a predetermined period of the lock relay LR is energized, this because the time under certain trafiic conditions. common return connection is connected to In accordance with the present invention, it is the common return wire C through the medium proposed to delay the operation of a switch of a front contact 11 of the lock relay LR. The machine following the placing of signals at stop relay M may for convenience be called a signalfor governing trafiic over the track switch conat-stop relay because this relay M is only ener- 10 trolled by such switch machine by a thermal gized if the four signals associated with the track responsive relay. Thermal responsive devices switch TS all assume the stop position. The a a y a a for asuring time if the system shown includes a thermal relay TR, energy pp thereto is fairly high as ompared which has been shown in its normal cooled con- With the e of dissipation of e y, b t t is dition, and three lock stick relays LS LS and 15 found to be somewhat inaccurate if the applied LS the functions of which will be pointed out 70,

energy is very small, this on account of the hereinafter. variation in radiation, and the like. In view of It is believed expedient to consider the operathese a it is p p d o ot n y require tion of the system in order to get a more clear th e ma e ay to be ated a d 00 65. bac understanding of the various functions accom- 20 to ts Original temperature, t i is p p d t0 plished by the various relays and devices.

operate the thermal relay through two such cycles, before the release to be accomplished Operation takes place. Not only can the time be measured m accurately by this e b but the total Let us assume that the operator at the distant 25 period of time may be increased. Another featower OT Clears th signal 3 through t ture of h p n invention resides i the dium of a suitable circuit conventionally shown visi f ns w y the function of the by the dotted line 12. Clearing of this signal a timing feature y be eliminated in the event will open the semaphore contact 17, thereby dea train has passed over the track switch after energizing the signal-at-stop relay M, this relay 30 the associated signals have been P to p- M being normally energized through the sema- Ot s, purp s a d a act st phore contacts 15, 1s, 17 and 1s. Deenergization at of the present invention W l in part be of the relay M will result in deenergization of obvious from h acc mp yin win and the lock stick relays Ls and LS and also in the Wi l i pa be more particularly pointed out deenergization of the lock relay LR, this because 35 hereinafter. these relays are energized through one or the In de r b the invention in detail, TefeT- other of the front contacts 20 or 21 of the reence will be made to the accompanying draw- 1 ing, shOWi' -g a sy employing one embedi- Let us now assume that the operator wishes e of the present invention to operate the switch machine SM, and in 40 Referring to the drawing, the Tails 1 0f the order to do so places the signal 8 again in the main track have been ShOWIl divided into secstop position Closure of the semaphore contio by lating joints 2, of which the deteotact 17, associated with the signal 8, will result tor track section including the track relay T and in energization of the relay M, but closure of the the track battery 4 is associated with a'track contacts 26 and 21 of the relay M will not result 45 switch TS for diverting traffic onto a siding. in the immediate energization of the lock relay This siding comprises track rails 5 separated LR, because the lock stick relays LS and LS from the detector track circuit by insulating are still deenergized. joints 6. West-bound traffic may be controlled Closure of the contact 21 of the relay M will, through the medium of the signals 7 and 7 however, result in energization of the thermal 50 whereas east-bound traffic is governed through relay TR through the following circuit:--bethe medium of signals 8 and 8 ginning at the terminal of a suitable bat- The track switch TS has been shown operable tery, front contact 21 of the relay M, wire 24, by a power-operated switch machine SM, which front contact 25 of the track relay T, wires 26 may be controlled through the medium of the and 27, back contact 28 of the relay LS wire v55 normal wire N and the reverse wire R from a 29, heating coil 30 of the thermal relay TR to the other terminal After a predetermined interval of time, the thermal relay TR will have become heated to a temperature that will close its front contact 31, thereby closing the following pick-up circuit for" the lock stick relay LS :beginning at the terminal of said battery, front contact 31 of the thermal relay TR, wire 32, back contact 33 of the relay LS wires 34, 35 and 36, winding of the lock relay LS to the other terminal of said battery. With this relay LS once picked. up, it will be held up through the following holding stick circuit:-beginning at the terminal of said battery, front contact 20 of the relay M, wire 38, stick contact 39 of relay LS wires 40 and 36, winding of the relay LS and to the other terminal Picking up of the stick relay LS will break the energizing circuit for the heating coil 30 of the thermal relay TR at the back contact 28 of this relay LS. This will result in the cooling of the thermal relay TR and when it reaches its normal temperature condition its back contact 41 will again close, and since the front contact 28 of relay LS is now closed, this will result in the closing of the following pick-up circuit for the relay LS :-beginning at the terminal of said battery, front contact 21 of the relay M, wire 24, front contact 25 of the relay T, wires 26 and 27, front contact 28 of the relay LS wire 37, back contact 41 of the thermal relay TR, wire 42, back contact 43 of the relay LS wires 44 and 45, winding of the relay LS to the other terminal of said battery.

With the relay LS once picked up, it will be stuck up through the following stick circuit: beginning at the terminal of said battery, front contact 20 of the relay M, wire 38, front contact 39 of the relay LS wires 40, 35 and 46, back contact 47 of the relay LS wire 48, stick contact 49 of the relay LS wires 50 and 45, winding of the relay LS to the other terminal With the relay LS now energized, its contacts 33, 51, 49 and 52 will be lifted, thereby again applying current to the heating coil 30 of the thermal relay TR through the contact 52 of this relay, through an energizing circuit which may be traced as follows:beginning at the terminal of said battery, front contact 21 of the relay M, wire 24, front contact 25 of the relay T, wires 26 and 53, front contact 52 of the relay LS wires 54 and 29, heating coil 30 of the relay TR and to the other terminal After an interval of time, the thermal relay TR will again be heated to a temperature that will close its front contact 31. When this occurs, the following energizing circuit for the lock stick relay LS is closed:beginning at the terminal of said battery, front contact 31 of the thermal relay TR, wire 32, front contact 33 of the relay LS wires 56, 5'7 and 58, winding of the relay LS to the other terminal With the relay LS once picked up, it is stuck up through the following stick circuit:beginning at the terminal of said battery, front contact 20 of the relay M, wire 38, front contact 39 of the relay LS wires 40, 35 and 46, stick contact 47 of the relay LS, wires and 53, winding of the relay LS and to the other terminal of said battery. Picking up of the relay LS will break the stick circuit for the relay LS thereby causing the relay LS to be deenergized, as a result of which its contact 52 opens and breaks the energizing circuit for the thermal relay TR, so

.,which its contact 41 is closed.

that this thermal relay TR gradually cools and ultimately returns to its normal condition in It is noted that the pick up'circuit of relay LS includes a front contact of the relay LS while the pick up and stick circuits of the relay LS include back contacts of the relay LS In order that the relay LS shall be provided with sufficient time in which to pick up and then stick up, the relay LS has been made slightly slow acting with respect to its drop away time. This prolonged releasing time for the relay LS need be only long enough to allow for the front contact 47 of relay LS to be closed upon the picking up of this relay LS but such releasing time may be made longer for providing a greater margin, if desired.

With the relays LS and LS picked up with the relay LS dropped away, then upon the closure of back contact 41 of the thermal relay TR, the following energizing circuit for the lock relay LR is completed; beginning at the terminal of said battery, front contact 21 of the relay M, wire 24, front contact 25 of the relay T, wires 26 and 27, front contact 28 of the relay LS wire 37, back contact 41 of the relay TR, wire 42, front contact 43 of the relay LS wire 63, back contact 51 of the relay LS wire 64, winding of the relay LR to the other terminal It is thus seen that the thermal relay TR had to be heated and cooled twice in succession in order to effect energization of the lock relay LR. In other words, it was necessary for the thermal relay TR to go through two complete cycles of heating and cooling, which movements of the thermal relay TR require the lapse of a predetermined period of time, this because the energy of application is fairly constant, and the radia= tion of heat from the thermal relay is fairly constant. In this connection, it may be pointed out that the thermal relay TR is one of the compensated type, in which two opposing thermal elements are employed, only one of which is heated so that the relay is substantially immune to a variation in atmospheric temperature, insofar as its operating characteristics are concerned.

It should be noted that the stick relays LS and LS must be up and the stick relay LS must be down in order to energize the lock relay LR. This arrangement is primarily used in order to afford deenergization of the heating coil of the thermal relay TR during its second cycle by the opening of contact 52 of relay LS There is, however, a second reason for this construction, namely, that a certain amount of energy is saved in that it normally requires only two of the three stick relays to be energized, and furthermore, this construction simplifies the manner in which track occupancy of the de tector track circuit may result in energization of the lock relay LR. This latter function is accomplished by picking up the stick relays LS and LS through the following pick-up circuits:-beginning at the terminal of said battery, front contact 21 of the relay M, wire 24, back contact 25 of the relay T, wires 66, 5'7 and 58, winding of the relay LS thus resulting in picking up of the relay LS and (2) continuing from the wire 57 through wire 60, front contact 4'7 of the relay LS wires 46, 35 and 36, winding of the relay LS to the other terminal With these relays LS and LS once energized they are stuck up through the stick circuits heretofore traced, and as soon as the train occupying the detector track circuit leaves this detector track circuit the contact 25 of the track relay T is lifted, and the energizing circuit for the lock relay LR, heretofore traced, is completed. It is thus seen that the operator is not required to wait his time if a train has just passed over the track switch. This is safe because the train in question has through the medium of its axles and the automatic control of the'wayside signals protected the track switch against a fast approaching second train. It is of course understood that the signals 7, 7 8 and 8 are controlled in accordance with trafiic conditions upon which control is superimposed manual control as conventionally shown by the dotted line Having thus shown and described one particular embodiment of the present invention, namely, one particular circuit arrangement whereby a slow acting or thermal relay is required to go through two complete cycles of operation before the lock releasing function may be carried out, it is desired to be understood that various other circuit arrangements may be employed to perform the same function, and it is desired to be understood that various changes and modifications may be made to adapt the invention to the particular problem encountered in practicing the same, all without departing from the spirit or scope thereof, except as demanded by the scope-of the following claims. What I claim as new is:- v a i 1. Time measuring means for controlling the locking of a traflic controlling device comprising, a slow acting relay, a first stick relay having a pick-up circuit including a front contact of'said slow acting relay, a second stick relay having a pick-up circuit including a front contact of said first stick relay-and a back contact of said slow acting relay, a third stick relay having a pick-up circuit including a front 'con-' tact of said second stick relay and a front contact of said slow acting relay, and two energizing circuits for said" slow acting relay one including a back contact of said first stick relay and the other including a front contact of said second stick relay. v

2. Time measuring means for controlling the locking of a switch machine comprising, a slow acting relay, a first stick relay having a pickup circuit including a front contact of said slow acting relay, a second stick relay having a pickup circuit including a front contact of said first stick relay and a back contact of said slow acting relay, a third stick relay having a pickup circuit including a front contact of said second stick'relay and a front contact of said slow acting relay, a stick circuit for said second stick relay including a back contact of said third stick relay, and two energizing circuits for said slow acting relay one including a back contact of said first stick relay and the other including a front contact of said second stick relay.

3. Time measuring means for controlling the locking of a switch machine comprising, a slow acting relay, a first stick relay having a pick-up circuit including a front contact of said slow acting relay, a second stick relay having a pickup circuit including a front contact of said first stick relay and a back contact of said slow acting relay, a third stick relay having a pick-up circuit including a front contact of said second stick relay and a front contact of said slow acting relay, two energizing circuits for said slow acting relay one including a back contact of said first stick relay and the other including a front contact of said second stick relay, and a control circuit for said switch machine including a front contact of said third stick relay.

4. Time measuring means for controlling the locking of a switch machine, a slow acting relay, a first stick relay having a pick-up circuit including a front contact of said slow acting relay, a second stick relay having a pick-up circuit including a front contact of said first stick relay and a back contact of said slow acting relayg a third stick relay having a pick-up circuit including a front contact of said second stick relay and a front contact of said slow acting relay, a stick circuit for said second stick relay including a back contact of said third stick relay, two energizing circuits for said slow acting relay one including a back contact of said first stick relay and the other including a front contact of said second stick relay, and a control circuit for said switch machine including a front contact of said third stick relay.

5. Time measuring means for controlling the locking of a switch machine comprising, a slow acting relay, a first stick relay having a pick-up circuit including a front contact of said slow acting relay, a second stick relay having a pickupfcircuit including a front contact of said first stick relay and a back contact of said slow acting relay, a third stick relay having a pick-up circuit including a front contact of said second stickrelay and a front contact of said slow acting-relay, two energizing circuits for said slow acting relay one including a back contact of said first stick relay and the other including a front contact'of said second stick relay, and a control circuit for said switch machine including a front contact of said third stick relay and a back contact of said second stick relay.

6. Time measuring means for controlling the locking of a switch machine comprising, a slow acting relay, a first stick relay having a pick-up circuit including a front contact of said slow acting relay, a second stick relay having a pickup' circuit including a front contact of said first stickrelay and a back contact of said slow acting relay, a'third stick relay having a pick-up circuit including a front contact of said second stick relay and a front contact of said slow acting relay, two energizing circuits for said slow acting relay one including a back contact of said first stick relay and the other including a front contact of said second stick relay, and a control circuit for said switch machine including a front contact of said third stick relay a back contact of said second stick relay and a front contact ofsaid first stick relay.

7. Time measuring means for controlling the locking of a switch machine comprising, a slow acting relay, a first stick relay having a pickup circuit including a front contact of said slow acting relay, a second stick relay having a pickup circuit including a front contact of said first stick relay and a back contact of said slow acting relay, a third stick relay having a pick-up circuit including a front contact of said second stick relay and a front contact of said slow acting relay, two energizing circuits for said slow acting relay one including a back contact of said first stick relay and the other including a front contact of said second stick relay, and a control circuit for said switch machine including a front contact of said third stick relay a back contact of said second stick relay a front contact of said first stick relay and a back contact of said slow acting relay.

8. Time measuring means for controlling the locking of a traflic controlling device comprising, a thermal relay, a first stick relay having a pick-up circuit including a front contact of said thermal relay, a second stick relay having a pick-up circuit including a front contact of said first stick relay and a back contact of said thermal relay, a third stick relay having a pickup circuit including a front contact of said second stick relay and a front contact of said thermal relay, and two energizing circuits for said thermal relay one including a back contact of said first stick relay and the other including a front contact of said second stick relay.

9. Time measuring means for controlling the locking of a switch machine comprising, a thermal relay, a first stick relay having a pick-up circuit including a front contact of said thermal relay, a second stick relay having a pick-up circuit including a front contact of said first stick relay and a back contact of said thermal relay, a third stick relay having a pick-up circuit including a front contact of said second stick relay and a front contact of said thermal relay, a stick circuit for said second stick relay including a back contact of said third stick relay, two energizing circuits for said thermal relay one including a back contact of said first stick relay and the other including a front contact of said second stick relay.

10. Time measuring means for controlling the locking of a switch machine comprising, a thermal relay, a first stick relay having a pick-up circuit including a front contact of said thermal relay, a second stick relay having a pick-up circuit including a front contact of said first stick relay and a back contact of said thermal relay, a third stick relay having a pick-up circuit including a front contact of said second stick relay and a front contact of said thermal relay, a stick circuit for said second stick relay including a back contact of said third stick relay, two energizing circuits for said thermal relay one including a back contact of said first stick relay and the other including a front contact of said second stick relay, and a control circuit for said switch machine including a front contact of said third stick relay.

11. Time measuring means for controlling the locking of a switch machine comprising, a thermal relay, a first stick relay having a pick-up circuit including a front contact of said thermal relay, a second stick relay having a pick-up circuit including a front contact of said first stick relay and a back contact of said thermal relay, a third stick relay having a pick-up circuit including a front contact of said second stick relay and a front contact of said thermal relay, a stick circuit for said second stick relay including a back contact of said third stick relay, two energizing circuits for said thermal relay one including a back contact of said first stick relay and the other including a front contact of said second stick relay, and a control circuit for said switch machine including a front contact of said third stick relay and a back contact of said second stick relay.

12. Time measuring means for controlling the locking of a switch machine comprising, a thermal relay, a first stick relay having a pick-up circuit including a front contact of said thermal relay, a second stick relay having a pick-up circuit including a front contact of said first stick relay and a back contact of said thermal relay, a third stick relay having a pick-up circuit including a front contact of said second stick relay and a front contact of said thermal relay, a stick circuit for said second stick relay including a back contact of said third stick relay, two energizing circuits for said thermal relay one including a back contact of said first stick relay and the other including a front contact of said second stick relay, and a control circuit for said switch machine including a front contact of said third stick relay, a back contact of said second stick relay and a front contact of said first stick relay.

13. Time measuring means for controlling the locking of a switch machine comprising, a thermal relay, a first stick relay having a pick-up circuit including a front contact of said thermal relay, a second slow acting stick relay having a pick-up circuit including a front contact of said first stick relay and a back contact of said thermal relay, a third stick relay having a pick-up circuit including a front contact of said second stick relay and a front contact of said thermal relay, a stick circuit for said second stick relay including a back contact of said third stick relay, two energizing circuits for said thermal relay one including a back contact of said first stick relay and the other including a front contact of said second stick relay, and a control circuit for said switch machine including a front contact of said third stick relay and a back contact of said second slow acting stick relay.

14. In a track switch control system, the combination with a switch machine for operating said track switch, of a lock relay which if deenergized prevents control of said switch machine,

a thermal relay, signals for governing traffic over said track switch, and means whereby if said signalsare put to stop said thermal relay is repeatedly energized and deenergized for a plurality of times and said lock relay is energized when said thermal relay assumes its deenergized condition for the last time.

15. In atrack switch control system, the combination with a switch machine for operating said track switch, of a lock relay which if deenergized prevents control of said switch machine, a thermal relay, signals for governing trafiic over said track switch, a detector track circuit associated with said track switch, and means whereby if said signals are put to stop said thermal relay is repeatedly energized and deenergized and said lock relay is energized when said thermal relay assumes its deenergized condition for the second time unless said detector track circuit is occupied in which event said lock relay is energized as soon as said detector track circuit is again unoccupied.

16. In a track switch control system, the combination with a switch machine for operating said track switch, of a lock relay which if deenergized prevents control of said switch machine, a thermal relay, signals for governing trafiic over said track switch, and means whereby if said signals are put to stop said thermal relay is repeatedly energized and deenergized for a predetermined number of times and said lock relay is energized when said thermal relay assumes its deenergized condition after such repeated operation.

17. In a track switch control system, the combination with a switch machine for operating said track switch, of a lock relay which if deenergized prevents control of said switch machine, a thermal relay, signals for governing trafiic over said track switch, a detector track circuit associated with said track switch, means whereby if said signals are put to stop said thermal relay is repeatedly energized and deenergized and said lock relay is energized when said thermal relay assumes its deenergized condition after such repeated operation, and means preventing operation of said thermal relay When said detector track circuit is occupied and in which event said lock relay is energized as soon as said detector track circuit is again unoccupied.

18. In combination, a circuit to be controlled, a control contact, a single thermal relay, overning means for causing a predetermined number of a plurality of both heating and cooling operations of said thermal relay upon the closure of said control contact, and means including said thermal relay and said governing means for rendering said circuit responsive to control by said contact only after said predetermined number of operations of said thermal relay.

19. In combination, a circuit to be controlled, 2. control contact, a thermal relay, overning means both for causing and registering a plurality of cycles of operation of said thermal relay upon the closure of said control contact, each of said cycles comprising a heating and cooling operation, and means effecting control of said circuit only a predetermined time after the closure of said control contact, said time being measured by the plurality of cycles of operation of said thermal relay.

20. In combination, a circuit to be controlled, a control contact, a thermal relay, a plurality of neutral relays both for causing and registering a plurality of cycles of operation of said thermal relay upon the closure of said control contact, each of said cycles comprising a heating and cooling operation, and means effecting control of said circuit only a predetermined time after the closure of said control contact, said time being measured by the plurality of cycles of operation of said thermal relay.

ERNEST B. KEMPSTER, JR. 

